NFL Capsules - AFC: Colts find more questions than answers at camp
ANDERSON, Ind. (AP) — The Indianapolis Colts came to Anderson to work.
They wound up doing more than just playing football, providing a big boost to a city in need of hope.
Estimates from city and university officials put the total attendance for Indy's 2½-week training camp between 75,000 to 85,000, nearly double what was promised when the Colts announced in June they were coming back to Anderson University.
The city's biggest celebrity, former Dodgers pitcher Carl Erskine, attended several practices. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell made a guest appearance, too, and Mayor Kris Ockomon said early economic numbers indicated the Colts pumped about $6 million into the economy. Retail numbers, Ockomon said, were up, and some local hoteliers acknowledged they were routinely sold out while the Colts were in town.
Things couldn't have gone better for the city.
"It's been way more than we anticipated, and the national exposure we've gotten from this has been incredible" Ockomon said as Wednesday's final practice was wrapping up. "You can't buy that kind of advertising for the community."
The Colts did their part, too.
Team owner Jim Irsay donated $5,000 to each of five local organizations, and Ockomon thanked the players for spending extra time signing autographs and mingling with fans — crediting those interactions with the large crowds that showed up routinely.
What did the Colts actually get accomplished on the field? Plenty.
Reggie Wayne and Robert Mathis reported to camp on time, keeping Indy's usually non-controversial camp as vanilla as their white-on-white-on-white uniforms. First-round draft pick Jerry Hughes missed only one practice before signing his five-year contract.
Bob Sanders, the 2007 NFL defensive player of the year, and receiver Anthony Gonzalez proved they were healthy, and the Colts added a veteran to their young secondary by signing former Steelers cornerback Deshea Townsend. Indy now has 13 defenders who have started in a Super Bowl.
But as the Colts flew to Toronto for their second preseason game Wednesday afternoon, they were still trying to answer some big questions — most notably who would protect four-time league MVP Peyton Manning on the battered offensive line.
The leader, Pro Bowl center Jeff Saturday, has already missed more than a week after having knee surgery. Saturday could be out up to five more weeks. Left tackle Charlie Johnson, Manning's blind-side protector, sprained his right foot on Aug. 6 and hasn't practiced since. Right guard Kyle DeVan has been out after hurting his hamstring in Sunday's preseason loss, and backup guard Jaimie Thomas had a walking boot covering his left foot Wednesday.
All the holes have taken a toll.
"Certainly the injury situation is present every single year, but there have been a number of guys that have missed the majority of this camp, which is tough to get timing with those guys," Manning said Tuesday. "Some of these young guys, young lineman, and young tight ends got some work and you hope that pays off for you."
Things are such a mess on the offensive line that Colts coach Jim Caldwell is still trying to sort it all out.
"Sometimes it depends on the health of your team," Caldwell said when asked how he would mix-and-match lineups for the Buffalo game. "We don't plan anything unusual, let's just put it that way."
The line isn't the only area getting hit.
Pro Bowl tight end Dallas Clark hasn't practiced since injuring his upper left leg late last week. Pro Bowl defensive end Dwight Freeney has been limited to one workout per day for precautionary reasons, linebacker Clint Session returned to practice Tuesday after recovering from a pectoral muscle injury and cornerback Jerraud Powers is expected to sit out against the Bills because of soreness in his left foot, the same foot he hurt before the Super Bowl.
"It was just a little sore after the game, so we did this as a precaution," Powers said.
The big question as the Colts leave is whether they'll be back next year?
Powers and other players said they were so impressed with the turnout and the productivity in Anderson that they'd like to come back. Indy signed a one-year contract, and Ockomon would like to extend the pact if the NFL owners and NFL Players Association can work out a new collective bargaining agreement to keep training camp part of next year's plans.
"We're working on that behind the scenes," Ockomon said. "With the NFL talks ongoing, the Colts can't commit to anything ...
"But we're going to be ready for them if the NFL can work things out and the Colts do decide to come back."
Blount caps night practice by punching teammate
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — This punch won't be so costly for LeGarrette Blount.
The rookie running back capped off a feisty night practice for the Tennessee Titans with a short punch to the helmet of defensive end Eric Bakhtiari a few moments after having his own helmet ripped off for the second time in as many plays.
Blount had just returned to the Titans on Wednesday night after being excused since Sunday for personal reasons. He was carrying the ball in a drill near the goal line when his helmet came off, and he kept his feet moving toward the end zone.
The play ended with some pushing and shoving, then Blount threw a right into Bakhtiari's facemask. Blount quickly talked to coach Jeff Fisher before leaving the field.
"He apologized, and I said he didn't have to apologize," Fisher said. "It's football. It's training camp."
Blount was suspended by the University of Oregon for eight games of last season for punching Boise State defensive end Byron Hout after a game on Sept. 3. Without much of a senior season, Blount went undrafted.
The Titans, having traded away LenDale White, brought in Blount as a free agent.
On the play that sparked Wednesday's scuffle, Blount said his helmet had been intentionally pulled off the play before. A new NFL rule going into effect this season stops the play when a player's helmet comes off. Then his helmet came off again. Blount said he apologized to Fisher because he had promised the coach his fighting days were behind him.
"That was my past. It just came up again. I got into one of those situations where the defense pushed me too far. With training camp and everything going the way it is and being as intense as it is and me being a rookie, it was just something I shouldn't have done. But I did it," Blount said.
Fisher downplayed the punch.
"His past is his past. Is that the first punch you've seen in camp this year? No. I'm not disappointed whatsoever. I have great confidence in the young man that he learned from his mistake, and he's very competitive. That's why we brought him in here is to watch him run the football like that," Fisher said.
Bakhtiari, with a towel draped over his head, declined to comment to reporters in the locker room.
The Titans originally had been scheduled to practice outdoors under the lights at LP Field in a closed session. Heavy rains predicted to drop at least 4 inches of rain onto the field prompted Fisher to move the practice back to the team's headquarters, and they worked inside under the lights.
It was an intense physical practice with Vince Young yelling at receivers not getting to balls, and he even got popped himself once by safety Michael Griffin. Fisher said it was the kind of session his team needed during essentially the last long week of training camp.
The Titans' preseason opener is Monday against Arizona, then the teams hold a joint practice two days later before Tennessee wraps up training camp.
Fullback Ahmard Hall called Blount's reaction just the intensity of training camp.
"If anybody else was to get mad, there wouldn't be a question. It would just be a guy getting mad. LeGarrette Blount gets mad, everybody wants to bring up his past. Guys pushed him. He reacted. It has nothing to do with what happened to him in the past," Hall said.
Notes: Starting right tackle David Stewart missed most of the practice after getting nicked above his left eye. He had to leave the field and got seven stitches. ... Defensive end Jacob Ford didn't finish practice after hurting a leg.
-- Teresa M. Walker
Steelers know they must fix leaky pass defense
LATROBE, Pa. (AP) — The Steelers are dealing with so many issues during a training camp that's about to end, one of their major worries sometimes gets overlooked.
Except by secondary coach Ray Horton.
The Steelers are busy enough while trying to find enough playing time for multiple quarterbacks during camp, fixing their running game and patching up their offensive line. If they don't get their secondary straightened out, however, these other problems might not seem as urgent.
A year after having the league's best pass defense while winning the Super Bowl, the Steelers fell to No. 16 last season. They gave up the most passing yards in the league while leading in games, and the third most yards in the fourth quarter. They made only eight interceptions, one fewer than Troy Polamalu had by himself in 2008.
Polamalu's lengthy injury absences played a major role in the Steelers' falloff — he played in only three full games, all of them victories. Still, Polamalu's health wasn't the secondary's only issue.
According to Football Outsiders' defensive charts, Steelers cornerbacks Ike Taylor and William Gay were two of the NFL's five worst defenders in first downs and touchdowns allowed, with Taylor permitting a combined 40 and Gay 36.
The Steelers brought back former starter Bryant McFadden following one season with Arizona, working a draft day deal to get him. With Arizona, he ranked third among cornerbacks with 37 first downs and touchdowns permitted.
No doubt the Steelers weren't the same without one of the NFL's best safeties for most of the season. But Polamalu can't help cornerbacks when they're in one-on-one coverage, as the Steelers' corners often are in the 3-4 defense. Gay, who became a starter when McFadden signed with Arizona a year ago, didn't have a good season — he knows it and his coach knows it.
"I think if you talked to William directly, he would say he became a little full of himself," Horton said. "I'm sure he thought, 'I'm here, I've arrived.' I think he's more humble this year and he's working hard."
The Steelers also re-signed safety Ryan Clark to a contract that pays him an average of $3.5 million per year over four seasons. Clark seemed to be signing with Miami, but a phone call from Polamalu helped persuade him to stay.
Clark won't say he had a poor season in 2009 without Polamalu, but admittedly tried to do too much to compensate for the absence of one of the NFL's best playmakers. Polamalu hurt his left knee in the season opener against Tennessee, missed four games, returned to play three, then reinjured the same knee against Cincinnati on Nov. 15 and didn't play again the rest of the season.
The Steelers lost that Bengals game and the next four without him.
"It's good to be back, and be healthy," Polamalu said.
It's good for Horton to see Polamalu back, too, if only because he knows how much it improves his secondary. While Polamalu is one of the best players at his position in the league, Horton said Polamalu has rededicated himself during training camp to improving. The Steelers finish up camp Thursday at Saint Vincent College.
"If you ask him, I don't think Troy will say he had a good year last year," Horton said. "That's our mentality. If we think we're there, we're foolish. Does Troy need to get better? Uh, huh. Otherwise, we wouldn't let him come to practice, he'd just go home to California and show up for games."
It's a secondary that's getting older, too, even without former starter Deshea Townsend, who wasn't brought back after 11 seasons. Taylor and Clark are 30, Polamalu is 29 and McFadden is 28. Clark and McFadden will have birthdays during the season.
The age factor is one reason why 2009 draft picks Keenan Lewis and Joe Burnett figure to play more after mostly being on special teams last season.
"We're going to let the season speak for us on that," said defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau, who at 73 doesn't like hearing that age matters. "I think this defense has an excellent blend of experience, middle-year guys and young guys. I think we will demonstrate that when we start playing."
-- Alan Robinson
Jets' Ryan says Dungy 'unfairly judged me'
CORTLAND, N.Y. (AP) — Rex Ryan wants Tony Dungy to know he's more than just a foul-mouthed coach.
Dungy criticized the New York Jets coach earlier this week for his Rex-pletive-filled appearance on the premiere episode of HBO's "Hard Knocks."
"The thing is, I've been a big admirer of Tony Dungy, and I'm sure a lot of people are," Ryan said Wednesday. "I felt that he unfairly judged me, and that was disappointing to me."
Dungy, a devout Christian, told "The Dan Patrick Show" on Monday that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell should talk to Ryan about his excessive cursing because, "I just don't think the league needs that." Dungy, who won a Super Bowl with Indianapolis, is an NFL analyst for NBC.
Ryan said he called Dungy and left a message that included his telephone number, and anticipated hearing back from him.
"I've invited him to come to camp or any time to spend the day with me and the organization," Ryan said. "I think maybe he'll have a different take on it."
Ryan said last week he only cared that he disappointed his mother, Doris, but apologized if he offended "more people than I usually offend."
NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said there is no chat planned between Goodell and Ryan.
"No, Rex's mother delivered the message," Aiello told The Associated Press.
Ryan was asked if he was surprised Dungy suggested that the commissioner get involved.
"I think I was more surprised that he judged me," Ryan said.
Ryan was criticized by some fans and media for what they thought was an excessive use of profanity during the show, which first airs at 10 p.m. EDT on Wednesdays. The five-part "Hard Knocks" series chronicles the team through training camp.
In the premiere, Ryan is shown using profanity during a team meeting and while talking to players and coaches. HBO posts warnings to viewers about the language contained in the program, and replays have profanity bleeped out during the day.
He also reiterated Wednesday that he will always be himself — colorful language and all.
"I'm a good person," Ryan said. "Just because somebody cusses or whatever doesn't make them a bad person. Just because a guy doesn't cuss doesn't make him a good person. So, I'll stand by my merits."
Ryan said he had "no idea" if there would be less profanity in the second episode. Then he was informed that HBO's preview indicated sharp-tongued special teams coordinator Mike Westhoff would be featured.
"Then," he said with a grin, "there could be more."
-- Dennis Waszak Jr.
Marshall getting his kicks out of, well, kicking
DAVIE, Fla. (AP) — Miami Dolphins wide receiver Brandon Marshall flashed his big smile and his sense of humor Wednesday.
Before Marshall took post-practice questions from reporters at the Dolphins' complex, he had a team official toss him a football. Marshall then playfully punted the ball a couple of yards.
It was a clear acknowledgment he's aware of the buzz his punt during Monday's practice — an act of frustration after he dropped his third pass of the day — created.
"When I've struggled at times, I'm not going to be happy, and it's not going to be a secret, and I'll never let it be a secret," Marshall said. "When I'm frustrated in practice I'm going to be frustrated. When I'm frustrated in a game it's a different story. In a game you don't want to give your opponent that edge, so you try to control your emotions."
Marshall, the two-time Pro Bowl selection acquired in a trade from Denver during the offseason, is one of top wide receivers in the NFL. He's had more than 100 receptions and more than 1,000 yards receiving in each of the last three seasons. He has the NFL record for receptions in a game (21 at Indianapolis last season) and is the only player in NFL history to have two games of more than 15 receptions (he had an 18-reception game vs. San Diego in 2008).
The Dolphins brought Marshall in to breathe life into a pedestrian passing game that ranked 20th out of 32 NFL teams last season. And while Marshall has had an outstanding training camp with the Dolphins — Miami coach Tony Sparano said Marshall has been one of the team's top performers — he's had a rough time recently.
At an intra-squad scrimmage Marshall dropped two passes. During Saturday's preseason opener, a 10-7 Miami victory over Tampa Bay, Marshall dropped another two passes. Then came Monday's three-drop practice and the punt, both of which were eye-openers.
"Down here it's new to you guys because I'm a new guy," Marshall said. "But a year from now you guys will be able to say, 'Oh, that's just Brandon. That's how he performs, that's how he practices, he plays with a lot of emotion. He approaches the game with a lot of passion.' You don't want to do that in a game, but it's practice."
Marshall's now infamous punt drew so much attention it was mocked by teammate Vontae Davis, a second-year cornerback and friendly rival, in Tuesday's practice.
"I didn't like it at all," a smiling Marshall said of Davis' act of defiance. "I went to the sideline and told coach, 'I can't believe I let him get the opportunity to kick the ball,' ... He made a great play, a play I should have had, and he knocked the ball away, got up and punted the ball, and I didn't like that at all."
NOTES: The Dolphins signed guard Randy Thomas, a starter of 143 games during his career with the New York Jets and Washington Redskins. To make room, the Dolphins waived WR Ryan Grice-Mullen.
Bills' series in Toronto not a hit north of border
TORONTO (AP) — Outside the Bills-Toronto Series gift store at the Rogers Centre on Wednesday, a stadium employee took a noontime nap on a bench while tourists posed for pictures beneath the neighboring CN Tower.
The store was nearly empty, and still had on sale Bills-Steelers shirts from Buffalo's preseason game against Pittsburgh in Toronto two years ago. And there was hardly anyone in line at the downtown stadium ticket windows for the wide-ranging number of seats still available a day before the Bills "host" Indianapolis in a preseason game.
Is anyone ready for some football?
That's been — and remains — the question as the Bills' five-year, eight-game series north of the border reaches its halfway point Thursday.
What officials call "teething pains," are being characterized in a far different light by critics of the Bills' venture into playing annual regular season games outside of the United States.
A combination of high ticket prices, the economic downturn and the Bills' losing record have contributed to a lack of interest initially anticipated by series founder, the late Ted Rogers, who died in December 2008, days before the first regular season game of the series was played.
It was Rogers who, two years ago, proudly envisioned full houses and fans lining up for blocks to buy tickets.
Organizers won't say how many tickets are unsold for Thursday. A check at the box office found that numerous seats are available, ranging from the plus-$200 to $75, the lowest-priced ticket.
Toronto Sun columnist Steve Simmons last weekend called it "an unmitigated disaster" for both Toronto and Rogers Communications, which paid the Bills $78 million for the right to host the series. Richard Griffin, columnist for The Toronto Star, referred to it as "an epic disaster flick" on Tuesday.
Rogers Centre vice president of events Silvio D'Addario dismissed the criticism Wednesday, calling it premature and focused too much on the business end.
"I'm really excited about where the series is now. The foundation and the building blocks are in place for a successful run," D'Addario said.
And yet he couldn't avoid acknowledging some of the problems that have been encountered.
"Have there been some challenges along the way? Yeah, there have been," D'Addario said. "We're going to take into consideration what's happened over the first two years to try to guide us through for this year."
Part of that plan has already been instituted this spring, when Rogers dropped ticket prices by making more than 14,000 available — up from about 4,700 the first year — at under $100 at the 54,000-seat stadium.
Rogers has benefited from the games though other avenues, using its position as a league partner to land deals with the NFL and market its other media companies — TV, radio and wireless communications.
"At the end of the day, it's NFL football. And Toronto is part of the NFL. And we're proud to have been able to do that," D'Addario said. "And whether they (critics) are talking about whether it's a financial disaster or whatever, that's for the accountants to figure out."
The Bills will play one more preseason game, in 2012, and three more regular season games in Canada's financial capital, starting with a game against Chicago in November. Toronto, Canada's largest city and North America's fifth-largest market, is about a 100-mile drive from Buffalo and considered part of the Bills' territory.
From the Bills' perspective, the series has been a huge success. They're making nearly $9.75 million per game in Toronto, more than twice the amount the small-market franchise generates from playing home games in economically challenged Buffalo.
Their foothold in Toronto has also paid off in an increase of Ontario fans buying season tickets.
Without providing an exact number, Bills chief operating officer Russ Brandon said Ontario residents now account for about 15 percent of the team's season-ticket holders, which marks a 44 percent increase in two years.
"It's continuing to regionalize the brand and strengthening our franchise in Western New York," Brandon said.
NFL vice president of international business ventures Chris Parsons considers the Toronto series to be a success, though not perfect. The series meets the league's long-term objective to internationalize its game and has also allowed the NFL to gain a new partner in a communications giant such as Rogers.
"Clearly, with any of these things here, you have your teething troubles," Parsons said. "From what I think we've set out to do in terms of this game, we've learned a lot. I think if you stack up everything that we thought might have happened, some things are better, some thing we have to work on."
At this point, officials say, there have been no talks to extend the series beyond the five-year run.
"It's premature to go down that road," Brandon said.
D'Addario agreed.
"There has not been any discussion this year whatsoever on anything other than the two games in 2010," D'Addario said. "We haven't even thought about 2011 yet."
Then again, organizers still have a long way to go.
As reporters waited outside a Toronto hotel for the Bills to arrive Wednesday, a passer-by asked what celebrity was scheduled to arrive.
When informed it was the Buffalo Bills, the man in his mid-50s said, "Who's that?"
-- John Wawrow
Tebow leaves practice
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Rookie quarterback Tim Tebow's first foray into an NFL end zone appears to have left him with injured ribs.
Denver's rookie quarterback missed his first practice of training camp on Wednesday after jogging off the field during warmups. While the Broncos aren't saying what's wrong with their first-round draft pick from Florida, Tebow might be feeling the effects of his game-ending 7-yard touchdown run in his pro debut Sunday night.
After absorbing several hard hits, Tebow powered his way into the end zone on the game's final play, smacking into Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Abdul Hodge to the goal line and bowling over Kyries Hebert, leaving the safety woozy with his mouth guard lying on the ground at his feet.
Wearing flak jacket-like extra passing around his ribs this week, Tebow participated in both workouts Tuesday when the Broncos reconvened at Dove Valley but he skipped the post-practice wind sprints, where he routinely whoops his offensive teammates.
About 10 minutes into warmups on Wednesday, Tebow huddled with head athletic trainer Steve Antonopulos and appeared to be favoring his left rib cage or abdomen as he jogged off the field and into the team's headquarters.
He didn't return to practice, after which the team scrubbed his scheduled gathering with reporters.
Coach Josh McDaniels left the field without comment, and in keeping with the team's policy not to discuss the reasons for absences from practices, team spokesman Patrick Smyth said he couldn't disclose why Tebow missed the workout.
Starter Kyle Orton and Brady Quinn shared all the snaps during the two-hour workout Wednesday, surely to the chagrin of all the Tebowmaniacs in attendance.
Tebow is the latest big name in the Broncos' injury epidemic, joining a long list that includes NFL sackmaster Elvis Dumervil, who might miss the entire season with a torn chest muscle, and the team's top three tailbacks, two of whom got hurt in the first hour of training camp.
"I don't want to focus on that right now," Quinn said when asked about the latest injury. "I'm just focusing on getting better and getting ready for Detroit."
The Broncos, who wrap up training camp Thursday, face the Lions in their home exhibition opener on Saturday night, but Tebow's home debut might not come until later.
"That's kind of the nature of the beast. I've been on teams where it feels like your whole team's hurt. I don't think we're much different from a lot of other teams in the league right now," defensive lineman Justin Bannan said. "It's just a grind. You get to about three weeks into camp and it's just a struggle to get it over with and get it done."
Before practice, McDaniels said he was planning to play Tebow this weekend about the same as he did in the preseason opener — most of the second half. Those plans could change now, delaying Tebow's home debut until Aug. 29 against Pittsburgh.
NOTES: OLB Jarvis Moss, out since Aug. 6 with a broken left hand, and rookie WR Eric Decker, who injured his left foot on Aug. 7, both returned to practice Wednesday.
-- Arnie Stapleton
Boller relishing opportunity with Raiders
NAPA, Calif. (AP) — Kyle Boller will remain the Oakland Raiders' primary backup this week while newly acquired Colt Brennan is expected to finally make his debut.
With Bruce Gradkowski nursing a lingering sore groin and Charlie Frye out after undergoing wrist surgery Wednesday, coach Tom Cable is still adjusting his quarterback rotation for Saturday's preseason game at Chicago.
Boller played nearly three quarters in Oakland's 17-7 win over Dallas last week after replacing starter Jason Campbell early in the second quarter. The former Cal star, who was buried on the depth chart when he signed with the Raiders in April, directed two fourth-quarter scoring drives against the Cowboys.
"It will be kind of similar to last week," Boller said following the Raiders' lone practice Wednesday. "It doesn't matter if you're one, two or three. I've been in this business long enough to know that you're a play away from being in there, so I've always taken the approach to prepare like a starter. You have to be ready when you're opportunity comes."
Opportunities have been rare for Boller over the past several seasons after entering the NFL as Baltimore's first-round draft pick in 2003. He started all 16 games for the Ravens in 2004 but has played in only 21 games since.
A shoulder injury in the preseason two years ago sidelined Boller for the entire '08 season. He signed with St. Louis before last season but fell out of favor after committing two costly turnovers, both of which were returned for touchdowns, in a Week 4 loss to San Francisco.
Now he's in Oakland, less than 20 minutes from where he played in college. He's also reunited with Raiders offensive coordinator Hue Jackson, who was his quarterbacks coach in Baltimore.
"I have a great relationship with Hue and I really like the way he coaches," Boller said. "I love this offense, I think this is a great offense."
Boller's comfort level was evident when he played against the Cowboys last week. He completed 12 of 21 passes for 148 yards and a touchdown while garnering a 94.9 rating.
During a four-play series in Wednesday's practice, Boller again looked sharp while throwing two touchdown passes to tight end Zach Miller and a third to wide receiver Todd Watkins.
"He understands what (Jackson is) looking for, what he's asking for," Cable said. "I think that helps him being able to step in and have some confidence right from the beginning. The game against Dallas speaks for itself, and he'll get another opportunity this weekend to see if he can consistently do that."
Campbell is likely to play longer than he did against the Cowboys and could possibly stay in the entire first half. That would leave Boller and Brennan to handle what's left.
Brennan, released by the Washington Redskins on Aug. 2 and signed by Oakland five days later, did not play in the Raiders' preseason opener but will "probably" play against Chicago, according to Cable.
Gradkowski, who will likely battle Boller for the No. 2 spot behind Campbell once he's fully recovered from the groin injury, is almost certain to sit out a second straight week. Gradkowski was limited in practice Wednesday and did not take part in any team drills. "Bruce is really, really close, but I want to give him the opportunity to be as close to 100 percent if not 100 percent before he goes in a game," Cable said.
That leaves Boller as Campbell's main backup for now.
"I really feel like this last week being able to get a lot more reps," Boller said. "You can sit in a room and look at a board all you want but until you get the reps I feel more and more comfortable each day. I definitely think in the last week I've gotten a lot more comfortable."
Notes: RT Langston Walker was given the day off but is expected to play against Chicago. Erik Pears worked with the first-team offense in Walker's absence. ... DE Jay Richardson underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee and is likely to miss the remainder of camp. ... Second-year TE Brandon Myers left practice to get X-rays after jamming his finger while trying to catch a pass. ... Oft-injured RB Darren McFadden (hamstring) will not play against the Bears.
